Into the Night
by beautiesrosemightneverdie
Summary: After the war, Draco Malfoy thought he would never see the light of day again, until Harry Potter comes forward to speak as his key witness. Now Draco must learn to cope with the horrors of the war. He's ready to let Harry in, but is Harry ready to let him in?
1. The Trials of War

**Author's Note**: So this is the edited chapter of Into the Night. I'm reposting because this is what I posted to / and I plan for that to be where the full story is. This does have violence and other such triggering things. Viewer Discretion is advised.

**Disclaimer: This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoast Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.**

Draco watched as his father was led away. He closed his eyes, not daring to meet his father's. By the time he saw those eyes again they would be empty and lifeless, a telling sign of the Dementor's Kiss. He felt himself start to shake. Complete and utter fear bloomed in his body as his guards grabbed his arms and pushed him through the large ebony stone doors. They let go of him long enough for him to sit in the dark oak chair. The moment he sat, chains leaped up and wrapped around his arms and legs.

"Draco Lucius Malfoy, You have been charged with the high crime of Dark Magic, Using unforgivable curses, and murder. What say you?" Kingsley Shacklebolt's voice boomed over the din of the Wizengamot's room. Draco froze for a moment, eyes flicking around the room, trying to find a face he knew. His eyes landed on the door. Behind it stood his mother, still proud and strong, despite everything. It was then that he knew what he had to do, what he had to tell the court, for her sake, so that she might not face his father's fate. They had to know the truth, even if it would cause him to spend an eternity locked away, at least she would be free.

"Guilty… I am guilty of those crimes. I did them knowingly without the imperious curse being placed on me," Draco called out, hoping the counsel didn't hear the waver in his voice. He continued, "I had very few choices, my mother and father's lives were at stake. He… he threatened to kill them, to torture them and then make them torture me. He told me, if I did not complete my task to kill Professor Dumbledore, He would torture my family and that their dead faces would be the last thing I saw. I love my parents, and would die for them. My mother was innocent in all of this, she had no choice to let the Dark Lord stay in our home, my life was on the line. I know it is not the same, but my mother's love is like that of Pot-Harry Potter's mother. She would do anything to protect me, anything."

"He's speaking the truth," The oh so familiar voice rang out. He heard an accumulating hush fall over the room as the most famous man of the wizarding world walked towards the bench of the Wizengamot. The mess of black hair was the same, though seemed to be slightly tamed at the moment. He was more built than Draco remembered, and a bit taller, too. Then he began to speak, "Harry Potter, Key Witness to the cases of Draco Lucius Malfoy and Narcissa Malfoy, nee Black."

"Mr. Potter, you're a bit late," Shacklebolt said, a subtle gentleness behind it that Draco became curious about.

"Sorry, funeral preparations. As I was saying Mr. Malfoy is speaking the truth, he and his family were under serious threats on their lives should Draco fail or defect. However he left something out: He saved my life and he lowered his wand when he could have easily killed professor Dumbledore.

When I was taken to Malfoy Manor, Mr. Malfoy refused to identify me to his aunt, Bellatrix. He saved my life that day. Now, onto his attempted murder charge, he was not the person who killed Albus Dumbledore. Severus Snape was. Draco lowered his wand and seemed ready to accept the Headmaster's help when the other Death Eaters came in and Professor Snape killed Dumbledore. As most of you I'm sure read the Daily Prophet obituaries, most of you will know why Snape committed that act. Draco did commit those crimes, but how can you punish him for simply being on the wrong side and trying to figure out what was best for his family?" Harry finished, staring defiantly at the Wizengamot, as if daring them to defy him and his logic. Draco was personally stunned. Stunned that he actually had a witness to back up his story and then help him along, stunned that his key witness was Harry Potter, and stunned to realize he might actually stand a chance of not rotting for eternity in Azkaban.

Draco sat there and watched as Potter approached Auror Shacklebolt's seat at the head of the Wizengamot. He murmured something to Shacklebolt. Draco saw Shacklebolt nod and say something back to Potter. Clearing his throat, the Head Auror called out, "Due to the circumstances Mr. Draco Malfoy was under during the duration of the second Wizarding War, he is to be put under probation with… what did you call it Harry? Oh yes… A Probation Auror. Mr. Malfoy, once you are escorted from the hearing, you may pick up your wand and will be transported from The Ministry by an Auror. Your probation Auror will come to your house tomorrow promptly at 9 o'clock. Until that time, you are under house arrest at Malfoy Manor. Is all this clear? Your Auror will explain more in-depth tomorrow when he/she meets you. I suggest taking down some of your wards so that they might be able to enter the grounds." With this being said, the Head Auror nodded to the guards waiting around the room. One walked over to Draco and tapped the chains on the chair. The chains slithered down the chair and released Draco's wrists and ankles from their hold on him. The guards grabbed each of his arms and practically carried him out, his shock was so complete. Through the ebony doors they went again. It was seeing the sight of his mother still shackled that brought him back to reality.

"Mother, Mother I am free, Potter spoke for me. I think he plans to speak on your behalf as well, don't be afraid, you are safe," Draco called to his mother as he was led away. Narcissa looked up and watched her son be led away. Draco saw the tears in her eyes as she was brought into the courtroom through the ebony door, just like her son before her.

Chapter 2

Draco sat outside


	2. The Aftermath of Leniency

bAuthor's Note:/b SO here is chapter 2 of Into the Night. This chapter will be where Harry and Draco finally interact directly. There's no smut in this, though there will be flashbacks of violence. Half of this chapter will be from Draco's point of view, and half from Harry's. I will indicate when it switches from Draco's point of view (his will be the view that starts out) to Harry's. It will be marked with i Harry /i Thanks for reading and reviewing, knowing how to make this story better is what I crave, though not necessary to the story continuing.

b This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoast Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended./b

Draco stood at the gate of his home. He looked behind him briefly, even though he knew the Ministry officials were long gone by now. He knew he should enter the grounds, but something was stopping him. Maybe it was the fact that the last time he had been in the ancient Malfoy Manor, he had seen people tortured, seen people die by a flash of green light. How could people expect him to go back? After everything, everything that he had seen and been through in this house, how could people honestly expect him to go back and not relive those months of utter fear, waiting for death to take him, filling his body and draining out his soul. He remembered the muggle invention of religion he had come across in one of the books he had been allowed in the holding cell at the Ministry. There was one, called Christianity which worshiped a man by the name of Jesus. He, a lot like Potter, had died and was reanimated back into his body. At first, Draco had found this odd that a man dead for three days could suddenly come back to life, not even a wizard could do that after all. Yet the more he thought about it, the more it made sense. This supposed God of muggles was able to do extraordinary magic obviously and was able to bring his son back to life with magic unknown to ordinary wizards. And so, Draco had done research into and came across a very strange term, Horcrux. It was a very powerful, very dark magic that instilled a piece of the soul in an object by committing murder. Draco had dismissed this option after a while, as it still did not explain Potter's revitalization or the supposed Lord's son's either. For this Jesus person was obviously pure like Potter and also like Potter, was known for his inhuman-like kindness. He remembered the Dark Lord searching through his home, trying to find a way to destroy Potter, trying to find out why Potter had lived all those years ago and why he had died in a sense. Potter had managed to kill Voldemort even when he was in possession of the Elder Wand.

Draco was brought out of his musings by the sound of someone walking up the path that led to the Manor gates from behind him. He whipped around and instinctively reached for his wand, only to remember he had lost it long ago. However, upon seeing the sight that was before him, a great smile replaced the snarl on his face. His Mother smiled at him, tears in her blue eyes. The Ministry official walking beside her pulled a long, thin object and handed it to her, before muttering something else, and disapperating back to where ever he was supposed to be. Draco ran to her, like a young child, and wrapped his arms around her, letting the tears stream down his face at the pure joy he felt in knowing that his Mother was alive and well, and that he would not be alone in his life at Malfoy Manor.

iHarry/i

Harry walked into Kingsley's office after the trials and sat down in the large chair facing the mahogany desk. The room was sparsely furnished, just the desk, some leather chairs and bookshelves containing books and objects from Kingsley's many adventures as an Auror. The door opened and Harry turned to see Kingsley walk in. Smiling, Harry stood and greeted the man who had become his close friend over the past few months. Once they were settled down again, Kingsley got straight to business.

"Potter, I have decided who the Probation Auror will be for Mr. Draco Malfoy. It'll be you, Potter" Kingsley seemed quite pleased with himself at his decision. Harry couldn't help but let his mouth drop open suddenly, millions of questions going through his head as Kingsley continued, "He will need someone to stay with him 24/7 and will also need to be reintroduced to not only the Wizarding World, but also the Muggle one. His wand will need to be checked at random to make sure he is not doing Dark Magic or anything that could be dangerous to him or others. You ok, Harry?" Kingsley's use of his first name brought him out of his stupor of having to spend all day, every day, with Malfoy. But this was Kingsley, and it was really not a good idea to piss him off. Resigned to his fate, Harry sighed and nodded his agreement to do the assignment. Questions started popping in his head, so Harry started to ask one,

"How long will this go on?"

"Probably around twelve to twenty-four months, give or take a few," Kingsley answered.

"Will this disrupt my Auror training?" Harry fired off only to have Kingsley answer promptly:

"No, this will complete your Auror training. After this is up, you can become a full-fledged Auror, though you'll have to pass the exam that everyone else has to take. Think of it as an –what's the muggle term- oh yes, independent study."

Harry sat there, for a moment, contemplating his last question before finally letting it slip out, "Will I be at my flat or Malfoy Manor?"

"Malfoy Manor."

~~~OOO~~~OOO~~~

bAuthor's Note:/b Hey guys, thanks for reading, feel free to leave a review (seeing as they are extremely helpful to me) Hope you all enjoyed. Next up: Draco and Harry speak for the first time after the trial and we find out whose funeral Harry was making preparations for. Remember, this is 6 months after the war and we'll even get to see a flashback of the incident that the funeral will be prepared for. See you soon lovelies…


	3. Note on Updates

Hey everyone, I'm hopefully getting virus protection tomorrow! *Whoop Whoop* However, School is starting in a week and since it's my first semester in college, updates will remain infrequent for awhile. I'm about half way done with To Die For Glory Chapter 3 and a quarter of the way done with Into the Night Chapter 3. When I have virus protection they will be finished and published! Until then, feel free to PM me about updates and I may even give a clue as to what is going on ;))

Until then dearies,

Beauties


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